Control system for electrical vehicles and the like



Nov. 22, 1932. J. STEPHENSON ETAL 1,838,297

CONTROL SYSTEM FOR ELECTRICAL VEHICLES AND THE LIKE 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aprl 15. 1931 Nov. 22, 1932. J. STEPHENSON ET AL 1,883,297

CONTROL SYSTEM FOR ELECTRICAL VEHICLES AND THE LIKE Filed Aprii 15, 1951 s Shets-$heet 2 7 Fig.5

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Nov. 22, 1932. L. J. STEPHENSON ETAL ,2

CONTROL SYSTEM FOR ELECTBICAL VEHICLES AND THE LIKE Filed April 15. 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 93.9 45 j v A? A /0 Patented Nov. 22, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LEIGH J. STEPHENSON AND HERBERT J. FRAMHEIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGN'ORS TO WALKER VEHICLE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILL. NOIS, A CORPORATION GONTEOL SYSTEM FOR ELECTRICAL VEHICLES THE LIKE Application filed April 15, 1931. Serial No. 530,174.

The present invention relates generally to control systems for electrical devices, such as motors and the like, and has for its principal object the provision of means to secure an additional increase in velocity which may be made automatic and which is arranged to come into operation only after the motor or other device is operating at a suflicient speed or rate to warrant an attempt to further increase its operation.

The present invention is illustrated in connection with an electric truck such as the one referred to in the co-pending application of Leigh J. Stephenson, interlocking switch Serial No. 516,537, filed February 18, 1931. Occasionally trucks of this type are designed for service in connection with department store city deliveries and deliveries of bakery, dairy and similar products where there may be several stops to the block and the truck is started and stopped a comparatively great number of times during the day. For such service it is generally recognized that the slow speed electric truck possesses a number of inherent advantages.

Where, however, the service requires a truck to make one or more runs of considerable distance between deliveries with no intervening stops, such as would be the case where the delivery route is located at a considerable distance from garage or where the several routes covered by the truck service are in isolated and widely separated sections of the city, it is desirable to be able to attain a comparativelyhighspeed over the distance leading to the delivery zone and yet retain the advantageous features of a slow speed truck.

Generally slow speed trucks designed for delivery service are provided with series motors since the frequent starts and occasional heavy loads demand a. large starting torque. The characteristics of a series motor are such as to fit it quite well for delivery truck service. It will be recognized, however, that when the motor gear ratio and control scheme are arranged for eflicient operation at slow speeds and during acceleration the truck would be inefficiently operated if allowed to accelerate on circuit connections that would give a relatively high speed. There are vanous means and methods by which an electric truck can be speeded up, but such means are inherently wrong if and when used for frequent stop service, as is met with while making deliveries.

The present inventlon, therefore, contemplates a new method and system of'control which is especially designed to meet the demands for a delivery truck with a gear ratio and other operating characteristics which make it suitable for door to door delivery and yet one which is capable of a considerably higher speed for running to and from the delivery route without any decrease in operating efficiency. More specifically, the present invention proposes to so arrange the various controls that the high speed connection can be made only when it should properly be used and not before.

In some instances, systems have been devised in which it was left to the operator of the vehicle or other device to change to the low speed connection when the delivery zone was reached but it has been found that the operator usually continued to operate on the high speed connections with a consequent loss in efficiency due to the substantial number of stops. According to the present invention, however, the system of control is so arranged that no matter what the driver or operator may do he cannot produce the high speed connections until the truck is practically through the acceleration period and is operating at suificient speed to warrant the high speed connections being established.

Briefly, the present invention includes switching onnections to obtain the higher speed by shunting the series fields of the motor together with means efiectively preventing the operation of the shunt connection for the higher speed until the motor has attained a speed sufliciently high to make this connection advisable. To this end the'shunting resistance, which mayinclude a foot push button or other manually operated device, is in series with the contacts of a magnetic lockout series switch, so that both the push button and the magnetic switch must be closed to shunt the fields.

V The magnetic lockout series switch is of conventional construction and is held out magnetically while the current is above a predetermined value, the switch closing when under some conditions, the magnetic switch may he arranged in other portions of the operating circuits.

While We have outlined shove the generic features of the present invention, it will he apparent to those skilled in the art a consideration oi" the following detailed description of the preferred structural embodiment thatthere are other objects and advantages inherent in the present-invention.

ln'the drawings Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the preferred form of connections;

Figure 2 is a diagram of a slightly modified form in which a portion of the starting resistance is utilized in arranging for the higher speed;

Figure 3 is a diagram showing the position of the switches in the various speeds;

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic illustration of the series lock-out relay; and-- Figures 5 to 9, inclusive, illustrate the circuit conditions with the'controller located in each of its difierent positions. 1

Referring now more particularly to Figure 1, the battery or other source of current is indicated by the reference numeral 1 and as shown has its terminals connected respectively to leads 2 and 3. The lead or conductor .2 is connected with a reversing switch, indicated in its entirety hy the reference numeral 5, of the usual type, or the reversing switch fi'z'nay be of the type shown in the co-pending application referred to above. The details of this reversing switch per se form no part of the present invention and it will therefore not be described in detail in this specification. It is suflicient to note, however, that suitable fixed and movable contacts are provided and are arranged to control the direction'in which current flows through the armature 7 of the motor of the truck or other vehicle.

While we have described the armature 7 as a part of the motor of a vehicle, obviously the armature 7 is only representative of many difierent kinds of electrical power translating devices with which the principles of the present invention may be utilized. The re versing switch 5, when mounted in a delivery truck installation, is movable to forward and reverse positions, and also to a neutral position in which the armature 7 is entirely disconnected from the battery circuit.

The conductor 10 leads from the reversing switch 5 to a point 11 where it is in connection with field A. of the motor 7. The other end of the field A is connected with the'lead'13 which, in turn, is connected with a switch'b. This switch is connected to a conductor 14, thru the upper section of the coil 40' on the magnetic lock out switch 39 to the line 15 which extends from the switch out one end of the lead 3 to the second field B' of the motor 7. The field B is connected through a conductor 17, the lower section of the coil 10 on the magnetic loci: out switch, the switch 6 and the conductor '18 wit. the lead 18' at point 11.

A pair of star-tir es stors and 21 are onnected together hich is ccnn ed tin a point on starting resistor 21 is connected dircc to the conductor 13, as icy a conductor 27, while the other starting resistor is connected through the conduotor 28 to the switch a, the latter being connected to the conductor 27. A shunt con- 27 through the interposed switch (Z.

The structure so far described represents the usual or conventional wiring arrangement for a deliver truck of the type now in general use. nile we have shown the various switches a, b, c, d and e as separated in the diagrams it is to be understood that these switches are in an actual structural embodinient either mounted on acc-ntroller drum which may be advanced manually or may be separate contactors operated by either cams or magnets energized thru a master controller through a, plurality of steps for stepping up the power in order to produce the required acceleration of the motor 7 Figure 3 illustrates which of the switches are closed and which are opened in the various steps to secure the required speed.

Referring now to Figures 5 to 9, inclusive, it will he seen that the circuit conditions for each speed are separately shown. Figure 5 indicates first speed. As there indicated the lowest speed is obtained when switch a is closed, the other switches being opened. 'When so arranged the fields A and B are in series with each other and with the armature 7 and the starting resistor 21 is interosed in series with fields and the armature.

econd speed {see Figure 6) is obtained by introducingthc starting resistor 20 in parallcl with the starting resistor 21 thus decreasing the eifective resistance of this portion of the circuit and thereby causing an increased flow of current through the two serially arranged fields and the armature 7.

The two resistors 20 and 21 are thrown into the motor fields A. and B. is obtained,

' doctor also connects the conductors 17 and 7 lap as indicated in Figure 3, by opening switch a and closing switch (5 while retaining switch a closed. The path of the current in this speed is through the field B, the conductor 30, the switch 0?, the conductors 27 and i3 and the field A. Current reaches the field B through the closed switch a.

Fourth or highest normal speed. is obtained hy throwing the fields in parallel rather then having them arranged in series as in third speed as best shown in Figure 8. To place the fields in parallel switches a, Z) and e are closed. Now the current has two paths to flow, one being through the upper coil 40 and the conductor 14:, the switch Z) end the field A, While the other path is through the conductor lo, the iield B, the conductor 17, the lower coil 40, the switch 6, and the condoctor l8. 7* hen arranged in this manner the fields and 15 are in parallel and hence their field strength is materially reduced so that now the motor 2" will operate 21.- higher speed. /l hen arranged in tr is manner the fields sud ere shunted hy the resistor iZl, but its resistance is considerable ohmic value sud is, in actuality, ineffective.

The shove description relates to securing ifierent speeds delivery truclr or similar evice es would he used in rushing door to door deliveries or frequent stops for other purposes. Ususlly these four speed changes are operated steeped relation n such way that in or obtain the her third or fourth speeds it is necessary through first and seconr secueuce.

New in order to cotein an ode" er speed it is necessar to further field strength the fields A one. B, may he done by shunt ng resistance come-ere so that mete "lfLlOl'l of the cu. slumted erounrl e Mel s and does not pass through them. s desirable, practicelly essentiel We EJQPGI' operation the vehicle or other device is to he obtained, to provide rhesus ""cr s uniting these only after the foul t. r ghest normal speed hes been attained the motor I? or other device has passed through its ecceleretion period. To this end the present invention contemplates the provision of an automatically operating switch of the known as e magnetic lockout-switch which includes e, coil interposed certain of the circuits end responsive to the current fiow therethrough for operating the switches associate the high speed shunt. Magnetic switches are well known in the art. it is e switch in which the armuturecr moving element is moved hy a current coil to make or hreek e contact. depending on the contact hese fields with ely low ohmic Value 1S arrangement. The magnetic circuit is so de-' set Value the armature moves to the energized position. It may be either a plunger or clapper type switch.

While we prefer to employ s series, lockout coutactor, it is obvious that we may also employ an ordinary magnetic contactor in connection with the marginal series relay. Figure 4;- illustrstes somewhat diagrammatically, the salient features of one form of magnetic lock-out contaetor. It comprises a frame structure '55, coils 40, u plunger l]. having a. slender portion 57., and an adjustable bushing 53 surrounding the slender portion of the plunger. A stop member {not shown) supports the plunger in position shown so that there is on annuler gap surrounding the portion ol' hetween the hushing 58 and the large portion of the plunger. There is also on air 62 shove the niunger.

Under s strong excitation the slender crtion c 57 of the plunger will become saturated with magnetic liux so that cousiderahle will bridge the air gap til to exert a downward pull upon the plunger This pull and the weight of the plunger tend to h l down against the stop member shove in he flux in the sir l force upon {3 citation is decreased the 61 will rapidly diminish U1 tie or no downward force. the passing from. the oil to the slender portion 5? can exert no downward. pull. The pull the t ap 62. while diminishes uhe ezcitw tiou does aim l l l i ls soon lie however, as the motor comes up speed.

amount of current token thereby is reduced whereupon the plunger 41 rises and the coutect operates close the circuit hetween the terminals 43 and The bushing 58 is threaded into he frame member 55 so that its position therein may easily to very the length of the air gap 61. "it will he remembered at the plunger has at fixed rest position independent of the hushing 58 as determined hy the stop already.

usted mentioned. Shortening the air gap 61 causes the contector to pull up at a lower excitation.

Having particular reference to Figure 9 the operation of the plunger 41. in closing the circu't at the points l3 and 44 estahlishes a shunt thru resistor 25 around the starting resistor 21. The ohmic value of the resistor 45 in the shunt circuit is relatively low com- -pared tow the ohmic value of the resistor 21.

One end of the resistor is connected to the contact 44 while the other contact 43 is con; nected through'the conductor 48 to the conductor 13. The other end of the resistance 45 is connected through a conductor 49 and a manual or footoperated push button to the conductor 1?. i

The operation of the circuit-shown in Figure 2 is substantially the same for all practical purposes as that shown in Figure 9, with the exception that aportion of the starting resistor 21 is short circuited by the shunt con nection and the other portion of the starting resistance 21 is used as the substantial equivalent of the resistor 45 of Figure 1.

The manual or foot operated switch 50 and the automatically controlled magnetc switch 39 are arranged in series-so that both must be closed before the shunt around the resistor 21 can be established. Even when the switch 50 is open the current through the coils 40 of the magnetic switch 39 may be of a value sufficiently low to cause the contact plate 42 to close the circuit between the points 43 and 44 but the shunt will not be established unless the switch 50 is also closed. Conversely, the operator may close the swft-ch 50 at any time but this will not establish the shunt circuit to weaken the fields A and B to obtain the hi ghest speed until the magnetic switch 39 is operated, and this does not occur until the current through the coil 40 is' the required minimum value. It is to be understood that the switch 50 may lie-either a foot or a hand operated switch of any type.

The reason for-winding the coil 40 in two sections is as follows. It will be observed from Figure 1 that in fourth speed, the highest normal speed, the fields A and B are arranged in parallel relation. If the coil means 40 comprises only one section interposed in the circuit containing only one of these fields the motor would become unbalanced due to the additional resistance of the coil'40 and the larger inductance of that circuit compared to the circuit of the other field. Also, at would prevent the switch 39 from operating properly due to the fact that the other field may be carrying most of the current so that the field circuit in which the coil 40 is placed is not receiving suflicient current to hold the contact plate 42 down from the contacts 43 and 44. This is because the larger J rising current.

inductance of the circu t containing the single coil section causes the current in'that circuit tobuild up so slowly that the switch does not remain open during sudden inrushes' of current but has a tendency to close on a This would defeat the object of the invention.

W a order to this we propose to. "div'lde'the coil 40 into-two -sections, placing Y one in the circuit of one field and the other section in the circuit containing the other? field.

In this way the system remains balanced and Y is full throug responsive to the flow of current until the motor 7 has attained a speed sufiicient to warrant the further weakening of the In Figure 2 we have shown a slightly different modified circuit, but one which, for all practical details, is substantially the same asthat shown in Figure 1 and utilizes the same 1 the resistor 21 and at itsother end to the con tact 43 of the magnetic switch 39. Inter-,-

posed between the switch ,39 and the conductor 17 are the conductors 61 and 62 and the push button or manual switch 50 which is thus arranged in series with the automatically operating switch 39 as in the case of Figure l. The other contact 44 of the magnetic switch 39 is connected to the conductor The operation of his form of the present invention is subst-a tially the same as that outlined above. The switch 50 may be operated at any time 'by the operator whenever he thinks it is possible that the extra high speed may be used. When the'motor 7 or other device has attained full speed in the fourth or highest normal speed the current passing through the coils 40 is sufiiciently reduced to allow the plunger 41 to operate, thus closing the contacts 43 and 44 and short circuiting the greater part of the resistance 21. A greater part of the current is then shunted around the two fields A and B thus weakenthe field and armature circuits to prevent the establishing of the shunt circuit prises a conductor connected at one'end to ing them and permitting a greater speed of fourth speed the operator, if he'des'ires to operate in the extra high speed, may depress the manually operated switch 50 thus closingthat portion of the shunt circuit controlled thereby. However, untilthe controller reaches its fourth position, namely, that wherein the switches a, b and e are closed, the coils 40 of the magnetic switch 39 do not carry any. currentat all-, and furthermore,.

due to the constructionjof the magnetic switch, the plunger 41 will not be operated until the truck has attained full speed and thecurrent reduced to the point where the plunger ll will he moved to close the contacts l3 and 44 thus establishing the shunt and weakening the fields A and B. This value of minimum current is so chosen that economicel operation can he obtained with the fields weakened as indicated, The truck will then continue to accelerate on-up to its extra high speed and will operate in that speed until the controller is moved out of the last normal notch, which is the fourth notch in the illustrated embodiment. For example, when controller upon which the switches a, l), W c are mounted is moved hack out position, say into third position, switches at and d are the only ones closed and hence switches and c lacing open the cells :6 receive no current at all. As a result of this the truck slows down on account of the strengthening of the motor fields.

The errengement shov, n in i igure l where e separate shunt resistance is employed the preferred form because this shunting resistance orovides a greater facility for ede switch omitted, i at operation in the extra high is automatically attained withention on the part of the operator but only after the motor 7 or.

ome cases it be desirable also to no single coil instead of the two coil the separate field circuits, his coil directly in the armature by interposing it the conductor arranged this manner the ay be automatically operated at en the current drops to the preineu ninirnum. This may 1100.: he perdesirable in a delivery truck or simian LS 218 the same is contemplated loy invention as a possible construcen'ice other than a vehicle motor is be understood that while "we ereoly arranged the automatic magfill to be operated onlyvaiter the hest normal speed has loeen a he main controller, such a magroper acceleration has heen ato the lower speeds if found to in is furthermore to he under stood that while we have disclosed a series motor principle of automatic field weakening of our improved control system can be employed in many cases with equal advantage in motor circuits wherein a shunt motor or a compound motor is employed, although the illustrated form is preferable for trucks and the like. I

ore some other form of power trans-- to sw on can he arranged to lee-operated We do not intend to be limited to the specific details shown and described.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An electrical apparatus comprising, in combination, a series motor having two field windings therefor connected in parallel and cooperating resistances shunting the windlugs, and means responsive to a reduced fiow of current in both of said windings for short circuiting at least a portion of said resistances to reduce the strength of said field.

2. A control system for an electric motor having a'field circuit and an armature circuit in series, said field circuit comprising a pillrality of field windings, said system comprising manually operated switch means adapted in one position to connect said field windings in series for low speed, and in another position to connect said field windings in parellel for a higher speed, and an automatically operating magnetic switch means having an operating coil in series with each the parallel connected field windings and a resist once adapted to parallel said field circuit to reduce the field strength whenet i he current fiow through said field circuit reaches a predetermined minimum value to secure a further increase in speed.

3. A control system for an electric motor having a field circuit in series with an armacircuit, said field circuit comprising a 3 urality of windings, said system compris- 4 lg switch means adapted to connect said field windings in series for low speed, means for connecting said windings in parallel, said last named means including connections adapted to he hrolren when said windings are arranged series, automatic switch means including coils in series with said windings and resistance means for shunting said windings when arranged in parallel, said automatic means being responsive to current fiow of o, predetermined minimum value for shunting said windings to decrease the field strength and increase the speed of the motor, and second switch arranged in series with said automatic switch so that neither can shunt said field unless the other is closed.

A control system for electrical apparatus comprising, in combination, a source of power, e power translating device control means adapted to he operated for increasing the speed of said device in s plurality of steps, additional control means operable when said first mentioned control means has reached the last step, said additional con trol means including a magnetic switch responsive to the current drawn by said device and a second switch serially arranged with said magnetic switch.

5. A control system for an electric motor having a field, a field circuit therefor and an armature circuit in series with said field roe circuit, said field circuit comprising a. plurality of windings, said system comprising switching means to connect said windings in series for a low speed and in parallel for a higher speed, and means for reducing the strength of said field to secure a still higher speed, said last mentioned means being operable in response to a reduction of current flow through said circuit when said windings are arranged in parallel.

6. In combination, an electric motor having an armature and a field winding connected in series, a resistance in parallel with said field winding and commutating means responsive to a reduction in the flow of current through said armature to reduce the effective value of said resistance.

In witness whereof, we hereunto subscribe our names this 10th day of April, 1931.

LEIGH J. STEPHENSON, HERBERT J. FRAMHEIN.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTlON.

Parent No, l, 888, 297.

November 22, 1932.

LEIGH-J. STEPHENSON ET AL,

I: is hereby certified that the assignee inthe above numbered patent was I erroneously described and specified as "Walker Vehicle Company, of Chicago, Illinois, a corporation" whereas said assignee should have been described and specified as "Walker Vehicle Company, 0? Chicago, Illinois, a corporation of Illinois"; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 701 day of February A. o. 1933.

,Actine cmhuilriml' or P116118. 

